Anthony Gordon calls out Wayne Rooney for 'absolute nonsense' comment

Anthony Gordon has called out England legend Wayne Rooney after his controversial comments about the Newcastle star's absence from the starting line up against Barcelona.

Gordon was a substitute for the Champions League round of 16 first leg against the La Liga champions, who equalised with a last-gasp penalty from Lamine Yamal after Harvey Barnes had broken the deadlock.

He came on in the 67th minute for Anthony Elanga, having not been deemed fit enough to start.

But Gordon received huge criticism from respected figures in the game, including Premier League record goalscorer Alan Shearer and Rooney - who were both part of Amazon Prime's coverage of the clash.

Shearer questioned why Gordon, the second top scorer in this season's Champions League, wasn't able to play from the off, saying: "I know he doesn't feel well, but this is Barcelona at Newcastle for a place in the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

Gordon was a substitute against Barcelona on Tuesday. Image: Getty

"It would take something extraordinary to keep myself out of this game tonight."

Meanwhile, Rooney claimed that Gordon contradicted himself as he "wouldn’t shake our (the pundits') hands" because he "said he didn't want us to catch anything" but then went "into the dressing room with his teammates".

Manager Eddie Howe jumped to Gordon's defence in his press conference on Friday, clarifying that he "was absolutely willing to play in the game" and stressing that he made the decision to leave him out after consulting with the medical team.

Gordon returned to the starting XI on Saturday and scored the winner in a 1-0 win away at Chelsea. After the game, the former Everton man fired back and said that the claims were "complete nonsense" as he had in fact got changed in isolation away from everybody else and did not train the day of the game after spending three days in bed.

“What the media guy told me was being said was complete and utter stupidity," Gordon said in an interview with BBC Match of the Day.

“Usually I don’t like to clear stuff up because I don’t care too much…but this one does need clearing up, because it was just nonsense. When I got to the stadium [ahead of the Barcelona match] the manager told me I wasn’t playing, which I didn’t like very much, but that was his decision and the team played well.”

Gordon felt the need to respond to the "nonsense" he heard online. Image: Getty

He continued: “Saying that I didn’t want to play in the biggest game of my career is absolute nonsense. Wayne Rooney said I went past and didn’t shake their hands and then went into the changing room. I didn’t. I got changed by myself in a changing room [by myself]…it was just me and a sink. Complete nonsense. I think they need to do better at what they are doing.”

After moving up to ninth with a crucial win at Stamford Bridge, Gordon and Newcastle travel to Barcelona for the second leg at the Nou Camp on Wednesday.